Australian dietary taboos

There are no mandatory uniform dietary taboos covering the entire population in Australia. Various dietary restrictions in public perception basically come from the four dimensions of religious beliefs, ethnic culture, health needs, and laws and regulations related to animal protection. There is no "universal minefield" that applies to the entire country. All taboos must be judged based on specific scenarios and objects.

I ran into a big pitfall when I was doing a research project in Perth in 2019: I checked the online guide and it said, "Australians don't eat animal offal". I asked my colleagues in the research team to order all ribs, grilled chicken and salad when they ate, but the white Australian in the same group... My brother was depressed throughout the whole process, and only complained after he got familiar with it. His favorite was the braised chicken gizzards sold in Asia Supermarket. He had been holding back for a long time that day and was too embarrassed to say it. It made me laugh and cry. Those "general taboos" on the Internet that can knock off a lot of people really have no reference value.

When it comes to foods with the greatest cognitive differences, rabbits definitely rank among the top three. The last time I stayed at a farm in South Australia, the landlord was an old local farmer. I asked if I wanted to try the cold rabbit I brought. He waved his hand and said, "This thing is a pest that eats grass roots and destroys the pasture here. I will shoot it when I see it. I really can't eat it." But when I turned to the butcher shop in the suburbs of Sydney, I saw fresh rabbit meat hanging in the most conspicuous position. The boss said that half of the buyers were locals, who believed that rabbit meat was low in fat and high in protein, making it the healthiest red meat. The two groups of people each talk about their own reasons, and no one can convince the other. There is no unified standard at all.

Speaking of which, I have to mention the ethnic cultural taboos that many people tend to overlook. Australia now has more than 3% of the Muslim population, and there are also many Jewish groups. The requirements for halal and kosher food are relatively strict: you cannot eat pork or livestock slaughtered in a non-specific way. Some strict believers will not even share tableware with non-halal/kosher food. The last time there was a public barbecue in the community, the Lebanese neighbor Mohammed specially carried a small oven and brought a full set of ingredients. He said that the public grill had grilled bacon and he could not touch it. If you handed over a piece of pork sausage without knowing it, people would not get angry in front of you, but it would definitely be very embarrassing. You should also pay special attention to the taboos of Aboriginal groups: Australia has more than 500 different Aboriginal tribes, and each tribe has different totem beliefs. Some tribes regard kangaroos and emus as totems and will never eat them. Some tribes have retained their traditional hunting and eating habits. Nowadays, kangaroo meat steaks are sold in supermarkets, and ordinary locals buy a lot of them. But if you have Aboriginal friends around you, it is best to ask in advance. Don’t just hand them kangaroo meat skewers, which can easily offend people’s cultural beliefs.

What is more likely to be tripped up than cultural differences is actually health-related restrictions. Australia has one of the highest food allergy rates in the world. Almost 1 in 10 children has food allergies. The most common allergens are peanuts, nuts, seafood, milk, and gluten. Severe allergy patients may suffer from shock even if they are exposed to trace amounts of allergens. I made nougat before and wanted to give it to a neighbor's child. The child's mother stopped me immediately and said that the child was allergic to peanuts. Not to mention eating it, he would be sent to the hospital if he encountered food containing peanuts. Later I learned that kindergartens and primary schools in Australia are basically "nut-free campuses", and even snacks containing nuts are not allowed. If you bring souvenirs and want to give them to everyone, you must check in advance whether there are people with allergies. The probability of this trap is much higher than the cultural taboo.

The only red line that can be considered universal across the country is the legal requirement: all states and territories in Australia now have legislation prohibiting the consumption of cat and dog meat. Violators will face high fines or even criminal penalties. No matter what your cultural background, you cannot touch this. There is no room for negotiation.

To be honest, if you really want to travel and live in Australia, you don't need to memorize a long "taboo list". The easiest and most respectful way is to ask in advance, "Is there anything you don't want to eat?" ”, after all, everyone’s living habits, beliefs, and health conditions are different. Instead of believing in the general stereotypes on the Internet, asking the person involved directly is always the safest choice.